Carbon monoxide eliminator



Dec. 25, 1934. J. c. BARTLETT 1,985,713

CARBON MONOXIDE ELIMINATOR Filed Aug. 26, 1933 Patented Dec. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES CARBON MONOXIDE ELIMINATOR James 0. Bartlett, Baltimore, Md.

Application August 26,

6 Claim.

This invention refers to improvements for neutralizing and eliminating carbon monoxide gases from the exhaust of internal combustion engines, and has for its objects:

To provide such a device that it may be readily attached to the exhaust pipe of such an engine without materially or substantially changing the construction or arrangement of such exhaust D 1 To provide means in such a device for completely mixing the exhaust gases with the neutralizing agents that a most complete elimination of the poisonous nature of the exhaust gases may be provided for;

To provide means for permitting convenient inspection and repair or change of the parts;

And many other objects that will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

While devices have been developed in the past to provide for the elimination of carbon-monoxide gases from the exhaust of internal combustion engines, such devices are in most cases complicated and impractical in form. Their cost of manufacture would be excessive and the parts so subject to clogging and operative disturbance as to make them too objectional for normal use. Some propose to use liquids in loose form and also loose salts of various kinds which in connection with such engines as are used for automobiles would be a continual source of trouble.

In this invention, the construction is relatively simple, it may be readily applied on any standard internal combustion engines and its parts are accessible for inspection or replacement. It offers many practical advantages for the application of the devices to commercial requirements.

In the drawing which illustrates by way of example, anembodiment of this invention:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective with parts broken away of an eliminator embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure I along the line 2-2.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 1 along the line 3-3.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of Figure EL along the line 4-4.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of Figure 31 along the line 5-5.

Similar reference characters refer to ,aimilar parts throughout the drawing.

In the construction shown in the drawing, 1, represents a conventional exhaust pipe from an internal combustion engine, and to which the throat pipe 2 of the eliminator to be described is attached over, and clamped thereto by the clamp 3. The eliminator consists of a casing 4 having its interior lined with sheet asbestos in- 1933, Serial No. 686,945

sulating material 10 and covered with a light and strong refractory material 5. It is preferably of cylindrical shape and has its throat pipe 2 at one end and of reduced diameter. At the throat end of the casing is provided a series of orifices to permit air to be drawn in, into the interior of the casing. The orifices are stamped out with a bailie 6 provided in each case to direct the incoming air towards the central portion of the chamber made by the casing. A rotatable plate 7, is mounted as indicated and is provided with holes 8'that can aline with the orifices 9 in the throat end of the casing. Suitable screws are provided to set the plate in position. The position of the plates with regard to the orifices enables the inflow of air into the casing to be controlled. The outflow end of the casing is provided with a cap 11 flanged at 12 to permit it to be slidably attached to the outside of the casing and frictionally held thereon. The cap is provided with a central hole 13 over which a screen, preferably of copper is mounted. A frame 14 is also mounted on the cap interiorly and has a heating element 15 centrally situated with regard to the screen hole but spaced therefrom about one-quarter of the length of the casing inside. The heating element has lead in wires 16 for connecting it to the battery of the engine. The cap with the attached parts may be readily removed from the eliminator casing for any purpose -of inspection or adjustment.

The throat pipe, is provided with a frame 17 on which a spinner or fan 18 is mounted. The purpose of this spinner is to circulate the exhaust gases as they pass through the throat in to the casing, and to cause the incoming air through the orifices and diverted by their baffles, to mix intimately with the gases. To do this more effectively, it is preferred to have the spinner positioned inside slightly spaced away from the mouth 19 of the casing.

The refractory lining is preferably made of asbestos sheet. This lining may be treated to increase the possible temperature of the casing burning inside when the eliminator is working, by having an impregnation of thorium or cerium salts or whatever is suitable and known for the purpose.

In its operation and use, the eliminator is attached to the exhaust pipe of the engine in rear or after the muiller. This avoids adding any additional back pressure on the exhaust, which those that place it before the muffler cannot avoid. It is easily slipped over the pipe coming from the muiller and clamped in position. When in position and exhaust gases are flowing through the eliminator, the gases pass through the mouth 19, and by the spinner which in turn rotates rapidly and whirls the exhaust gases which split up. The exhaust gases in passing through the eliminator draw in air through the orifices 9, which in turn mixes with the whirling exhaust gases in the easing. This intimate mixture adds oxygen to the carbon monoxide and enables it to burn of itself. As the exhaust gases have also in them the vapors from the oils used for lubricating the moving parts of the engines and these have not been burned during the explosion of the engine, such come through into the exhaust in a bumable condition, and not as the usual carbon monoxide. To meet this condition and to provide for the complete combustion of the products of the explosions, there is provided the heating element, 15, which is a conventional electric heater capable however of being operated at a continuous temperature of about 1800 degrees. When the heated and unburned parts of carbon monoxide mixed with the incoming air reach the heater at this high temperature, it is set fire and burned and passes through the copper screening 21 which splits the gases into finely separated streams that insure an even more positive combustion by both mixture and catalytic action.

The asbestos lining becoming heated interiorly serves as an incandescent heater while at the same time insulating the casing from the interior heat. As the automobile runs along the highway, its speed creates an atmospheric pressure that increases the inflow of air into the eliminator. To control this inflow, the plate 7, is rotated sufllciently to block up to a suitable degree the orifices in the casing, and this plate is operable through a stem 20 that projects and is readily accessible to the operator of the same. This pressure due to the speed of the automobile eliminates the need of any additional accessory elements to bring more air into the casing.

To inspect the eliminator, the cap is readily removed and those parts on it can be easily inspected, while the open casing then, permits the remainder of the casing to be looked into and fixed if necessary. The heating element is electrified as soon as the engine is started and proceeds to provide the complete combustion of the exhaust products. There are no parts to become clogged or inoperative. Such dirt as might collect on the rear screen will ordinarily burn off, but if not the cap can be readily removed and the screen then mechanically cleaned ofi.

While but one form of the invention is shown in the drawing, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to that particular form, or in any other way, otherwise than limited by the prior art, as it is well understood that other forms of construction could be used that would employ the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a carbon-monoxide eliminator, the combination of a single-chamber casing having a plurality of air-admitting orifices therein in the walls thereof for the admission of air and having baffies thereon adjacent to the orifices, a throat piece to the casing for attaching the eliminator to the exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine,

a spinner mounted in the casing at the throat for whirling the gases passing therethrough and the air admitted through said orifices together, a heating element in the casing for electrically igniting the gases therein, and a screen for agitating the gases passing out of the eliminator.

2. In a carbon-monoxide eliminator, the combination of a casing having a plurality of orifices therein in the ingress end thereof for the admission of air under atmospheric pressure, a plurality of baflles for the orifices, means for controlling the amount of opening of the orifices, a spinner in the casing for whirling the gases therein, a heater element for electrically igniting the gases therein, a catalytic means for igniting-sensitizing the gases, and means for attaching the casing to an internal combustion engine exhaust pipe.

3. In an eliminator of the class described, the combination of a single-chamber casing having a refractory lining attached thereto and covering the interior surface thereof, a series of orifices for allowing air to inflow therethrough, a control for the orifices for varying the amount of air therethrough and the direction of fiow to the interior of the casing, an agitator for mixing and combining all of the gases in the casing in the ingress end chamber thereof, and of the same diameter as the ingress, and an electric heater element near the egress end of the casing for electrifying and igniting gases in the casing, and means for cutting into currents and streams the gases passing out of the casing whereby they will mix more fully in the air outside of the casing.

4. A carbon monoxide and unburned gas eliminator for internal combustion engines comprising in combination a single-chamber casing having means provided in the walls thereof for the admission of air, a plurality of diverting members disposed in the casing to direct the admitted air into a variety of directions, a spinner covering the area of the ingress opening and mounted in the casing adapted to agitate the gases and air in the casing together, a catalytic heating element disposed in the casing for heating and igniting the mixed gases therein and centrally disposed near the egress end of the casing and in front thereof and to intercept but a comparatively small area of the egress, a lining of retrac tory incandescent material in the casing for additionally igniting the gases, and means for cutting the air currents as they pass out of the said casing, and means for electrifying the said element.

5. An internal combustion engine exhaust carbon-dioxide maker, comprising in combination, a cylinder single-chamber casing having an adjustable outside air-infiow control with means for setting same positively locked, an attaching device for the casing for connecting and clamping same to the exhaust pipe of the engine, a spinner, mounted in the casing directly in front of the ingress orifice of the casing and spaced away from the air-inflow, a heater-catalytic electrical element with means for supporting same in the r path of exhaust gases passing through the casing, and an outlet in the casing having a catalytic influence means for the gases passing out of the casing.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a spinner in front of the ingress so that the infiowing exhaust gases will have to pass therethrough and be spun thereby centrifugally, incandescent chamber, an electrical heating and catalytic agent, and oxygen supplying arrangement for mixing and burning the gases and vapors passing therethrough, said gases being all mixed in one chamber together and then allowed to flow in a direct and uncircuitous manner to the outlet of the chamber and means for further cutting the gases as they leave the device and spreading them through the atmosphere outside the egress opening.

JAMES C. BARTLETT. 

